In a landmark development coinciding with International Labour Day, the Industrial Tribunal in Rajkot has delivered two significant judgments in favour of workers of Deendayal Port Authority (DPA), Kandla, bringing long-awaited relief to the workforce.
The cases—numbered 48/2013 and 171/2013—were contested by the Transport and Dock Workers Union, Kandla, following references made by the Ministry of Labour. The tribunal, presided over by Judge P.A. Malviya, issued its verdict on March 18, 2026, with the rulings made public on May 1.
In the first case, the tribunal ordered the reinstatement of Mr. Ramji Narayan Maheshwari, a marine worker (‘Laskar’) who had been dismissed from service on December 24, 2009, on what the court deemed unfair grounds. After 16 years, the tribunal directed that he be treated as having been in continuous service since his dismissal. The ruling mandates that he receive full back wages, dearness allowance, and all applicable promotional benefits up to his retirement, with payment to be completed within two months.
In the second case, the tribunal ruled in favour of eligible Kandla Port workers, granting them arrears under the Children Education Allowance scheme. The court directed that payments covering the period from January 1, 2007, to April 30, 2010—previously unpaid—must be disbursed within one month. The allowance applies to up to two children per worker.
The tribunal further stated that any delay in payment in either case would attract an interest rate of 7.5%.
While delivering the judgments, Judge Malviya emphasized that no worker should be dismissed from long-standing service without valid justification. The court also clarified that workers are entitled to the Children Education Allowance from the effective date of the wage settlement, January 1, 2017.
Reacting to the verdict, Union President Mr. L. Satyanarayan said the cases were originally filed through Advocate Mr. Nirdosh Rathod under the guidance of the late Mr. M.L. Belani, then General Secretary of the Union and Trustee of Kandla Port Trust. He credited the successful outcome to the persistent efforts of Senior Secretary Mr. Lalit Variyani.
The announcement has sparked widespread celebration among DPA workers, with the union expressing confidence that port management will cooperate fully in implementing the tribunal’s directives.
